Is there a difference between laughter yoga and laughing yoga? Honestly, this is where we say the difference is the same. The two words mean the same thing. If you are listening to today’s episode, you must be curious to know what laughter yoga is.

Laughter yoga is all about laughing for no reason at all. We don’t need jokes. We don’t need humour when we laugh. When we do laughter yoga or laughter yoga, the premise is that the body doesn’t know the difference between fake and real laughter. We do these different laughing exercises and various breathing exercises to trick the brain into thinking that we are genuinely laughing. Before you know it, you are genuinely laughing, especially when you’re in our group of people. It’s highly contagious.  

Last week I was on stage with about 250 people. When we started, some people didn’t want to laugh. By the end of the session, the whole auditorium was laughing, and the energy had been lifted. With laughter yoga, we incorporate yogic breathing. We don’t necessarily use yoga poses. 

A study shows that, when we breathe, normally, 20% of oxygen sits in the bottom of our lungs, and like this residue of, of stale oxygen that we hardly ever breathe out. But, when we do laughing yoga or laughter yoga, we exhale it.

Listen to this episode to learn more about laughter yoga.

Would you like to share a laugh with me? Find me on Clubhouse every morning for a 10-minute laugh, or find me on my website, and I promise you we’ll have a giggle.

What did you learn from this episode?

Please leave us a review on iTunes. It will make it easy for more people to find this podcast.

If you enjoyed this episode, you should 100% listen to the founder of laughter yoga Madan Kataria talking to the laughter man.

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Transcript

 

Pete Cann  00:07

Hello, I’m Pete Cann laughter leader, positive thinker, and entrepreneur, and you’re listening to laughter and positivity with people, where each week I’ll bring you tips and tricks to lead a happier, more positive life. Ready? Let’s go

 

Pete Cann  00:28

Hey guys, it’s econ from laughter and positivity with Pete and this week. You know, he’s laughing already in the background because we’ve had a little chat off there. I say off air on Zoom and first question to ask you, Paul. Was where are you? And what was your

 

Paul  00:44

what do you see him in? Oh? Are you me? Where in the world do

 

Pete Cann  00:52

exactly that poor judgment judging by your accent, you’re definitely in the southern hemisphere.

 

Paul  01:00

So I’m a bit. I’m bit I’m a bit Australian. I’m a bit Australian, but I’m in a part of Australia where the educated people are. And Adelaide is a place where the teachers come. Not the convicts. So I’m lucky enough to be from Adelaide, Adelaide. It’s got about 1.1 million people. And it’s a slow little country town, according to Melbourne and Sydney. But according to Adelaide, Ian’s we are superior. But I’m not sure if that’s the next question. I’m from

 

Pete Cann  01:36

Adelaide. Fantastic. Amazing. So I’ve traveled a bit of Australia. I didn’t get to Adelaide, unfortunately. So all right. Yeah. So we did Darwin down to Perth. We did the West Coast. And then yeah, it’s a big old country is Australia in it.

 

Paul  01:51

Now it goes on forever. Every time. Anyone from England comes over anywhere over the world. It’s just surprising how much of nothing here but there’s a lot of everything as well. And a lot of diversity. Because in Australia, I suppose you’ve got some of the greatest and beautiful mountains for snow and skiing, which you wouldn’t believe because people don’t realize it’s so much beautiful skiing here. Then you’ve got all the oceans with the great surfing beaches all around Australia. And obviously, you’ve got populations where you’ve got deserts, and then you’ve got tropics. And then you’ve got down in Tasmania, you got Buddy, Switzerland, in Australia, but a great lot of diversity. And yeah, it’s a lovely place to be because you’re going holiday in Australia and feel like you’re traveling the world.

 

Pete Cann  02:34

Yeah, amazing, amazing. Support. I always ask, obviously, you know, the reason you’re on laughter and positivity with Pete is that you came over like on LinkedIn, we stumbled on each other. And let me just turn that off before that keeps beeping. And you’re into laughter yoga. We have Yeah, we have the same thing. So. So I always like to know, straightaway, you know, how did laughter yoga come onto your radar?

 

Paul  03:01

Yeah, I, it’s a good, good, good, good to know that. I couldn’t work it out when I first saw it, because it made no sense to me why you would laugh for no reason. And I went to a spirit festival in a place called Nam bimby. I went three times, but I went to the spirit Festival, and I did a workshop for 45 minutes on laughter yoga. And during that workshop, I, you know, understood that I thought a lot better I was with a group of people thing. But I was, I must admit, I was laughing more at the people laughing in it than anything else. But that’s what generated the energy in the room. So, the vibe that I got in the vibe that was created just by purely enjoying a laugh, really, I got to understand all this is something that is worthwhile. So, I went and researched it a bit more and learnt about the Indian fellow over there who, who, you know, understood the technology, which is where I was learning. And then I met a I looked up a man here in Adelaide, who was doing classes as learn to be a coach. So, it was a weekend course learned to be allowed to coach. So, I met I talked to my good friends, and I said, Look, come and come and do a laughter coaching session with me. And I’ll shout you because you know, I need some support. And they said, okay, well, it wasn’t that expensive. But the guy that ended up teaching us the technology. He was a clown doctor, as well. So, he went to children, and you know, sick, sick children who weren’t too in a good way. But he would cheer them up and give them something to laugh about in the moments. And I thought about that. I thought, well, that’s pretty powerful if we could spend our energies, sharing the joy of a moment in time when especially we could be in a really bad way or in a way where we’re not enjoying ourselves but to get some release and to get some way of you know, forgetting for a moment that you’re in trouble with whatever you’re in trouble with, even as a child, you know that often they don’t know why they’re in that position. But just to escape in that moment, and to have a laugh, and to bring some joy, and to share some of that laughter and smiling, I thought, what a wonderful thing to do. So, I wanted to support that. So, part of my reason for starting, what I’m doing in sharing laughter is to also attempt to raise awareness for the clown Doctor Foundation, because we have a, we have a human Foundation, which is an Australian organization started out in Sydney, and that human foundation is supportive of the whole idea of clown doctors, and the clown doctors have even gone now to as far as working with the H. So going out, and even helping older people who can sometimes become resigned sometimes, you know, for some reason there can feel down, but to get a visit from a doctor who is dressed as a clown and can understand how to bring a mindset that is different, is very valuable to the community even in the in the aged care area. So that’s what I’m about. I’m about supporting that worthwhile. Objective

 

Pete Cann  06:10

meeting for Paul white, you know, I’ll be honest, I’ve had a little look on the website, your website and stuff, and I saw that, you know, you, you, you’ve got a tally of how many you know how much you’ve donated to charity and stuff. And I think it’s really admirable the fact that you know, you not only sort of charging I suppose for your time to run these laughter sessions, with corporates, predominantly, but a percentage of that goes back to a good cause. And it’s all about especially with laughter because it’s it’s such a such a powerful tool that people don’t understand. And especially, you know, when like, say when it’s the sick children, you know, that they need that little light in it reminds me of Patch Adams, I’m sure you’ve seen the film peers? Yes, most definitely. It’s completely on that vibe, isn’t it? And it’s, um, yeah. So do you dress up as a clown yourself pulled it, have you done that yourself.

 

Paul  07:03

I’ve got a funny suit, I got a blue suit, I got a, I got a long suit. And I keep the hat going. So, like you, I think, looking like something so that people can remind themselves of who they are or who you are. I decided that maybe if I was to dress in a certain way, but I’ve also, I walk around, always with a little laughter badge. And the badge stays with me, whatever, all the time. So that’s near my heart. And during the workshops, I always give everyone a badge. So, it reminds everyone to, to smile. So, when you see the badge, you’re going to smile, and then you’ll smile back. And I think it sounds so simple when people don’t get it, smiling could be as simple as it is. But as soon as you give it away, you get one back. And so, you’ve changed that person’s day just by smiling because they’re smiling back at you. And then you can have a conversation from a cheerful place. Rather than from a place of complaint or a place of, you know, misery or anger you send hope because you’re already smiling. It seems so simple. But smiling is so powerful and so effective, because it changes the vibe in a room. Because if you can get everyone smiling in the room, you’re going to hit a subject that’s going to be positive, not negative, because smiling and stress don’t go together.

 

Pete Cann  08:24

To test your memory now, Paul, so how long ago was it that you were at this festival, and you stumbled on laughter yoga?

 

Paul  08:33

Well, that would have been about 416 years ago. So, I hadn’t got I hadn’t gone up, I hadn’t actually developed anything. Until very recently, because I was, I probably used the tools of laughter. Without knowing I was, and I got very successful in being amongst people and generating work. I have a, say, a me and my friend started a cleaning company. And that’s turned into a facility services company. And now we employ about three and a half 1000 people. So, it’s a national company. So, I’m the communicator of that company. Now I’ve got other people communicating for me. But the start of that business back when I was in my 30s, what I realized now that a lot of reasons why the company grew was because I was enjoying myself. I was excitable, and I shared that excitement. And I was good company to be with. And so, people gave me a business because it was fun giving me business. I didn’t realize it was too. But when I think back, I think, wow, because I am the generator of the fun. I think people would rather do business with a smiling person that gives them a story that’s entertaining, rather than then one who’s you know there to tell them how great they are or how great their product is. But just to share a story that is a simple one but a joyous one. So that applied not only in who I was talking to in the customer, but that also applied to all the workers and cleaners that come along. Because when they come along, I would have fun with them as well. So, it was just joy all the time. And one thing that my business partner got annoyed about was my inability to be serious. And that cause some issues because I had trouble being serious. He said, you know, this is serious, the business is a serious place, you cannot come to these board meetings, with a smile, and thinking that it’s everyone’s, you know, everyone’s happy, there is serious, there’s, we’re talking, you know, big, we’re talking big money here and big, a big opportunity. And, you know, we have to be serious. So, that’s always been, that’s always been an interesting place for me, because I find a lot of businesses and a lot of businesspeople carry a level of self-importance around them. And that’s difficult for them to get off themselves. Because they don’t really know why they’re on themselves, or why they why they are that way. But often, seriousness robs us of an enjoyment of work and an enjoyment in a meeting setting. Because everyone’s probably sitting in a meeting going, you know, we’ve got serious business to discuss. And I think, just a minute. And sometimes just hearing someone, you know, want to want to talk for 10 or 15 minutes, and it really is just about basically nothing but

 

Pete Cann  11:34

if bullshit, bingo, that’s what it is.

 

Paul  11:37

Can we get to the point, please? What are we here for? We know how good you are, we know the companies, and can we have a laugh and get to what we’re talking about and what we need to do. And what I found was, the more the more you could enjoy the meeting and get that vibe going. And allow people to offer suggestions and feel free to do so I think the vibe actually creates a place where more out there out of the square thinking can occur and more innovation starts to occur. And more answers start to arrive, if those people are not fearful of communicating, they’re open, because they feel free, the conversation feels free. And then you can start to move forward and much, much more easily. And we have to,

 

Pete Cann  12:27

we are so sorry to cut you in that. But I just you know, it’s what you’re just saying exactly what I feel and how I think and in the creative brain, you know, when we laugh, and then just, we just open it up, don’t we too, is this magic, it’s.

 

Paul  12:43

And I think also what occurs in that space is you start to, as individuals allow vulnerability to exist in you. And then you can look at where your actual skillset lies, I think people are fearful of looking stupid or fearful of saying something wrong, or fearful of, you know, not knowing at all. Now, when you get to a place where there’s freedom and conversation, yeah, and you’re enjoying the space, people were happy to say what they’re not good at, because they’ll have a laugh about it. And then I’ll joke about I know, you’re no good at that. So, we won’t ask you about admin. But we know you’re good at operations, but you know, just stick with operations, and shut up when admin comes in. Yes, if you start to tell people, what they’re good at what they’re not good at, they’ll have a laugh back, and then and then feel free to offer what they are good at. And, and, you know, it takes a group of people to get something done. Often, it’s not, it’s not that one person has all the authority and all the all the knowing, and all the understanding, if we could respect each other, and enjoy each other’s qualities, and enjoy each other’s offering, whatever that is, and understand it in a way where we’re free to give it in a place where we feel comfortable. Not a place where we’re all serious and scared and, or, you know, making impressions. And you know, this, I think this false, right? throughout society. It’s not, it’s not just in business, but, you know, even in government, I can see. You see, people in government departments, they, they sit down, have meetings about nothing. And the really serious, what are you being serious about? What’s the value of all? What did

 

Pete Cann  14:19

you just get out of that hour of your life is that, you know, it sounds you know, like, obviously, you’ve mentioned, you know, the three that three and 1000 employees, you know, that I know straight away that’s it, that’s a beast of a business that you run there, which is amazing, and the fact that like you say the laughter and the positivity, I can feel oozing out of you and I know how I used to be, you know, okay, but it’s smaller business. You know, we only had four employees, but ultimately we still you know, I was the fun injector and whenever I walked into that room in the morning, always we used to dance Paul in the morning, he said do this disco, unfortunately didn’t have the office anymore because everything COVID shot was wearing So, but we used to get everyone up and do like this dance disco dance for probably about three minutes in the morning. And then at two o’clock in the afternoon, we had a like disco light that just came on. And it’s like, right. And we just like, just, it’s all about energy. It was all about as right,

 

Paul  15:18

and it’s all energy. And why aren’t we allowed to enjoy ourselves at work? I mean, what’s what, what is it about that, and the drudgery of life, if you were to work it out, I’ve got down to the fact where I’m actually got to a stage where I’m enjoying most of the things I’m doing. And that that is an interesting place in the head. Because even if you’re doing the mundane, you can start to, in your mind, think of it differently. So, if you’re vacuuming for saying or you’re mowing the lawn, or you’re, you’re doing a task, which is maybe mundane, you might be doing the dishes. But if you look at it with a whistle with a smile, and you start to have a little dance, or you start to play with the cup, or you start to do something, it’s surprising how you can enjoy yourself in even doing the mundane. But you’re just get to a place where suddenly you’re not thinking about what you’re doing. You’re having too much fun. And suddenly you’re finished and you’re going oh, well, that was quick. You know what, how come I finish that doing that job so easily? Because my mindset was not drudgery. My mindset was not complaint. My mindset was, let’s have fun with this. So, you know, you can do that with maybe going for a workout. People go oh, do I have to go for a workout now I have to exercise or go for a walk? Well, the minute you think about, hey, I’m going to have fun when I go for a walk. The people I see I’m going to smile and say good day too I’m going to look at the sunshine, I’m going to wave to the birds and I’m going to whistle as a walk. Or you’re going to enjoy that walk now. Some people walking or running. And you look like they I go. Are they really happy to and they’re looking at their time they go, oh, am I going to? Am I gone fast enough? You know, just a minute, who cares?

 

Pete Cann  17:03

You are literally it’s blowing my mind it just get you mentioned about delight household chores, right? Literally this morning, I’ve been writing a chapter of my book about laughter, laughing on your own. And I’ll be talking about laughing was doing chores. And you’ve just said exactly all the chores that you do. And it’s all about positioning because they are like say they can be mundane, they can be like habitual, we have to do you know, we have to iron our clothes, if we don’t want to look like yes. But

 

Paul  17:34

when you’re brushing your teeth, you can be looking in the mirror and you can be, but you can. Of course, if you have a laugh, break your teeth, you’re going to be a happier person. And you know, I keep saying to people, we’re guaranteed one thing in life. And that means that that is that we’re not going to be here forever. You know, we’re all we’re all destined to realize that, you know, none of us are getting out of here alive. So, if you if you had a choice a how to be until that time arises, what would you choose? And then everyone says, hi, I’d rather be happy I’d rather be smiling. And they’re really? Yeah, what’s what if you had that choice? You knew that that was the end? What are you doing about that? Where’s Where are you responsible in that? Now, I find that the responsibility lies in not wanting it. But the responsibility lies in giving it away like you are, the more you give it away, the more you get it back. It’s like everything in probably life. And if you look at it, if you want to have more friends in your life, be a friend. And then you’ll get some friends. If you just sit there and say I want some friends? How are they going to come about? If you are a friend, then you’ll have friends around you because you’re being a friend. A lot of people say, oh, I’m so alone, you know, I wish I wish I had love in my life. Well, who are you loving? Are you loving anyone? Well, you know, if you do, if you did start loving the place of where love is given is where it’s returned. You can’t want it, you can’t desire it, you can only give it and then you move into the space of what you give. So, if you are in a happy space, you’ll get happiness back by giving it away. Now that’s the that’s the true technology of smiling. It’s because in every moment, a person can come to you, and you can change their way of thinking and be and be happy for meeting them. Then they suddenly go, why what how did I make you happy? Now you look at you if you made me happy. Because you actually did. Now if you actually look at that person say you did make you happy. And then you say something to get them to respond. Then suddenly you feel better. They feel better. And then you can offer the idea that hey, you can share that if you want and when you do you’ll feel better. What? This is amazing. It’s about giving it away.

 

Pete Cann  19:59

Hi, it’s Pete here, and I hope you’re enjoying the show, I have a little favor to ask if you are enjoying this episode, then why not press that share button and help spread the power of laughter with your network. Anyway, on with the episode. So, support, I just going to bring us back on to the laughter yoga, quick, if I may. So, so we’re going back sort of rewinding 16 years. And I always like to ask, you know, to get you had that first session, you mentioned that you were laughing more, or the fact that other people were laughing, which is, which is natural, then I’m assuming you lay down and have the meditation at the end. And you’re 100 a meditation when you finish to do Yeah, yes, yes. Can you remember? Can you remember how you felt when you came back after that meditation

 

Paul  20:51

I can, I can say that. It’s just, I can, I felt free in my own self at that moment. But to to the truth, I knew that I had work to do. Also, because I felt that there was, I was still resisting. And believe it or not, I didn’t stop resisting until about a year ago. So that’s really difficult to admit that I really didn’t believe in myself enough to give that much of myself to just be because I wasn’t, I didn’t feel worthy enough to give that much. And that was a very big realization to accept that I was worthy enough to give off myself that much to be what I professed, I wanted to be now just saying what you want to be as one thing, but being what you, ah, and being an accepting yourself, then allows Laos the freedom to be who you are. And then the power, the power arises for you. Because you’re accepting yourself and loving yourself. So I recognize the first person to smile, that was me. But I wasn’t doing that fully. And I had, I didn’t have the confidence to fully comprehend or understand how important was to take on the technology, personally, not just not expected from others. And not to say, look, this is what I’ve learned, but to actually start to live it. And I realized that, you know, I’m still working. It’s not it’s a work in progress. But I realized now that I’m actually confident enough to speak about it. And to say that by living it, it is it is transformational for me. And it’s just bringing so much joy to my life. Yeah, to that when I, when I see others, and watch, watch others feel good and feel better after meeting me. Like you’ve asked to ask you, when you when you change a rule. Yeah, the feeling just goes, Oh, my OB did I do that. And it’s a feeling of being absolutely grateful for the for what has given you the strength to be able to be brave enough and courageous enough to get up there and, and bring a room to a place of laughter enjoy. And actually, the last project didn’t start from an intention of me to actually start it. I had a man come up to me, Paul Brock, he comes from Carry Training. And he said to me, I don’t know what to do with Christmas is to this is last Christmas. Not with Christmas just happened the one before that. He said, I don’t know what to do at Christmas time. You know, I’ve got a bunch of people, you know, 30 of them, and they’re all miserable, and they don’t get on. I said, Look, I can make a room laugh. Within five minutes, he said, bullshit. I said, No. I know how to do it. He says, No, you can’t. I said I can. I can’t. He said, You’re a nice, like I said, come in and make a room off. And then just out of the blue. I thought, why do I say that? And now he’s now you know, made this commitment to go and make this room laugh. So I started to think and nervously something. How am I going to do this? What I’m going to do what? What’s the format. So I’ve been working on that format ever since. And I’ve been naturally working on the format, you know, after learning from you, and after learning from others and watching what to do. And I must admit that it’s been a remarkable journey. And it’s been really fun. And I’m just wanting to do more of it. Because it makes me feel so good. And I’m looking at how to and what the best method is and how to spread that how to spread that joy. And really, I suppose in one way, you can look at it and go is it just the immediate person or Can Am I possible for more and I don’t want to have an attachment to how it should be. I think that to allow it to come like you have come into my life. Now. I don’t know whether you and I will move into a direction where we can help each other. I hope so. But I’m not attached to that. Because if I was attached to it, I’m not free. So, the place of being free is to allow you and me to learn from each other. And maybe we’re good for each other. We can grow together and do some good things. And maybe we can’t and both options and both outcomes. Okay.

 

Pete Cann  25:23

Yeah. Amazing. So, so how did you? You obviously put you put yourself out there because it was time it was time for you to do that. That’s why you said I can make a room for five minutes. Because you wanted to make that happen. And I think possibly you felt his pain to a point as well. Because you know, having a team and you know how good a team dynamic a happy team dynamic is. So you walked into that room? It was in person, or was it online?

 

Paul  25:52

No in person?

 

Pete Cann  25:54

Fantastic. So, you walked into that room? You’ve obviously prepared yourself because you’re a professional like myself? Did you, do it? In five minutes? Yes, yes.

 

Paul  26:08

I actually, I actually had it filmed. And because I worked on it, I had some backing with some music. And I’ve got people in a state where they felt comfortable at the start, because people are always a little bit, you know, nervous about what am I doing here? Do I think you know, what’s this about? People are very interested in their book, I’m interested to watch their body language sometimes, because they’re quite reserved and fearful. And you know, someone’s not going to expect me to laugh other or, you know, how can it how can it be? How can it be like that, or, you know, what gives me the permission, the idea that you are the person who is free and without inhibitions yourself in the room, when they pick up your energy, like your energy, your energy is already there. So, it’s easy to transmit that energy, because it’s oozing out of you. So, you can’t help it because you’re already laughing, like we are now. So when you’re already happy people go, is this guy mad? Or is this guy really happy? So, the first thing you do is you say, when you do walk in there, that nervous person can’t be there. Heavy persons there because everyone can pick up on that energy. It’s real. Soon as the person gets on the stage and starts to feel a little bit of anguish, the whole audience feels anguish. Yeah, the place to be is when you’re on stage is to enjoy yourself, and to be allowed to allow, own your mistakes if you make them but own them because people will laugh at them. So, as I was sharing, at that time, I think the ability I had was to share. This is my first time I’m doing this, Paul rockier asked me to do this. The best guy who laughs or the best person who laughs going to win this bottle of scotch. So, I brought a bottle of scotch it as I’m going to give this guy this Scotch to the person who loves the best. Okay, everyone’s looking at the scotch, their mouths watering. So, I’ve got a good start here. I was thinking of everything. Scenery. And so, then I started going off with, you know, the Santa Claus laugh and started the Santa Claus laughing. Yeah, the whole the whole idea of where the where the laughter comes from in the body. And then everyone’s you know, starting to feel the vibe. And then it’s time to do that the dancing and so dancing with the with the vacuum cleaner, and, you know, doing things that are silly, but you know, washing the car, whatever you’re doing. So, it was like zipper last and everyone’s having a zipper laugh. And then I had a bit of video for a quick video footage of it. So, I took the videographers with me because I thought to myself, I want to see what I look like. And I want to see if I’ll use any of this. Because if it’s going to get some traction, because I went to a young lady and said, you know, professional web girl and I said, I’ve got this idea. And she saw this nice, beautiful idea. I said, I don’t know what to call it. I think I’ll call it the laughter project. So, you know, you’re the Laughter Man. I said, I think I caught the laughter project. And the reason for the laughter project is to raise money for clown doctors. Now what a great reason for the laughter project to exist. And to encourage people to be less serious because I think seriousness is killing us. So now believe it or not, I’m 90% through a book that I’m writing about. It’s about why we should be less serious and why seriousness is killing us. It’s a really funny book. But I really think that the whole world would be a better place being less serious. And that’s not easy for me to go until that to people who high up in the business world. Because they can some people can accept that. That idea that laughter is acceptable and it’s okay and it brings results but it Actually don’t,

 

Pete Cann  30:00

You know? 100% So, Paul, what do I have you? Have you run many laughter sessions, then?

 

Paul  30:09

are probably at this stage. I run 16.

 

Pete Cann  30:13

Okay. So, I always like to ask this question as well of laughter Yogi’s is, has there been a point where someone’s come up to you and said something about your session that’s stuck in your brain for you to go? Wow.

 

Paul  30:30

I think everybody, everybody seems to come away with something that is worthwhile and positive, but you’re thinking of a one-on-one occasion. Yeah, I think, I think a person, I remember two ladies who were totally afraid and totally closed and weren’t in any way, accepting of the idea that they could laugh. And by the end of the end of the session, they both come to me. And I give away a certificate for a science series say that your responsibility now is to share the laughter that you’ve had today. And you can sign that certificate. And it was just a moment where these two ladies who were totally opposed to that idea, actually come to me and said, you know, I want to sign your certificate. I want to sign the certificate myself, because now, I actually do want to give this I do, I do understand how important is to smile. And I’m going to smile every morning now. So, they actually shifted in their idea of what they could give. And when you hear that from someone where they’re, they’re affected to the point where they have chosen now to smile every morning, I think, Wow, that’s pretty, pretty powerful. So yeah, I get lots of moments like that. You must.

 

Pete Cann  31:59

Yeah, definitely. Definitely. There’s one I always share. It was my first ever laughter session that I ran in person. And it was like 150 Quite Cute, cute choir ladies curious. I don’t even know I can’t. English isn’t my first language honestly. Did you see this session? Yeah, this, this young girl came up to me with without grandma and said, my mom wants to speak to you. Is that okay? And most likely, of course it is. And she was a slight grandma to Amanda said, you know, I just wanted to thank you because I’m in remission, and I haven’t laughed for nine months. And you go, and that. That was a reason that happened, Paul, in my first ever session as well. I believe that to just give me that power. Again, I nearly welled up, mate. At that point. I really was just wow. You know, and you know what we do? It’s not rocket science. It really isn’t. But we have a certain aura about us and I can feel it, you know, across the screen automatically between the two of us. Yeah, we got it straightaway. Yeah, you walk into a room and in, you can walk into that room either just going or you can walk in the room, shoulders back, head up and just go hey, how are we doing? Yeah, yeah, happy. Wow, why wouldn’t I be you know, it’s so cool. We’re going to be wrapping this up now. The end so I always like to ask for one or two of your favorite laughing exercises and I’ll be honest, what I do with it, I’ll take a little snippet of your laugh and I’ll put it at the front of this this audio so you know people can hear your laugh beforehand, so do you want to share and we get to laugh together as well obviously, which is which

 

Paul  33:43

one I lost

 

Pete Cann  33:46

to do. Exactly, exactly. So go then to two exercises that you really enjoy.

 

Paul  33:53

Well, I like the old zipper laugh because I start the zipper laugh with down in the bottom which is down in my tummy, so I start with the. Oh, that’s funny. It’s just good. It feels good. It feels amazing.

 

Pete Cann  35:03

I love that because it’s like it starts deep and you’re moving up and all the energy you’re pushing out your body is fantastic. God number two than number two.

 

Paul  35:14

Oh well I like the boomerang. A boomerang. Have a boomerang. The Boomerang. Boomerang. Boomerang is striking, Australian Boomerang. Boomerang law. You’re grabbing a boomerang, and you’re stretching back here. Just want to get you to get

 

Pete Cann  36:09

right, Paul, on a serious note. This has been really, really, really, really, really good. And this isn’t going to be the first time that we talk. I know it’s not. And that there’s people listening to this that want to know more about you and more about the laughter project. And where do they find you?

 

Paul  36:30

Well, I can only I’m not, I’m not up to speed like you are. I’m trying to work out how you give me so much information. I go well, and you know, I’m, I’ve just turned 60. So, technology is not my bag. I’ve always had people do that for me. So, I’m this I’m the communicator. Not that. Not that not the hands-on person. So, the place where you can be finding is look up the laughter project. And if you want to know a little bit about the history, I’m also I’m on LinkedIn, Paul rouse arrow, WC. But more or less, I’ve started LinkedIn pages as on the laughter project. And I’ve just done some podcasts. I’m doing a I did a podcast with a very famous footballer here. And we talk about all sorts of things. We even get to talk about sex, and how funny that is. So, we I’ve done an hour podcast, which I’m very proud of. And I’ve just finished that. And I’m doing another podcast on Thursday with a guy named Peter Motley, who’s a very famous footballer, ex footballer who had an accent when he was 22. clerics and wanted it wasn’t his fault. He was a top 10 footballer in Australia, playing for a team called Cowden. And in 1985, he had a car accident and ended up without the use of one leg and without the use of one arm and with a speech impediment, very famous person named Peter Motley. Now, Peter Motley and I have become very close friends. Now we’re doing an hour podcast with him because you’ve never met a more positive and happier person in your life. And yet when he was 22, tragically, his life was turned around forever. And yet you he has never once complained to me, or and all he does when he goes to see people is bring joy to them and share a joke and to share his energy. And he doesn’t want to be a victim. He doesn’t want to feel pity he just wants to give because he knows that’s the way to be and it’s just to an inspiration. So, I’m going to be doing some podcasts so if I could hit one person, I get I’ll hurt you if I hit one person from over there. To look at this into my pocket, I think I’ve done something on international. I’ve got one person here. I’ve got family over there. My wife, my wife, Shelley, she comes from Swindon. Okay, just yeah, my rockabilly Kev. He’s got a rockabilly band in Swindon, and so he’s got three kids and so we spent a lot of time together. Last time we met each other was in Cuba. We went to Cuba and spent a week but since all the lockdowns and since all the travel there we’ve been in trouble but I’m telling you this today, I tell I promise you this but when I come over to their to your class, we’re going to catch up and have a beer or two. It’d be great to beach.

 

Pete Cann  39:20

Definitely so for final thought then what three things bring you joy? What three things bring you joy.

 

Paul  39:30

What three things bring me joy what’s funny things, watching, watching people have fun, and enjoying themselves brings me so much joy. Watching people have fun sharing the vibe. I put on karaoke shows and I I’ve set up a lot of businesses and when I set something to happen, I create a vibe in the air because I do it Australia Day shows over here and winning, winning a room. The room is transformed. Because I set something up the works. I get so much joy from when I watch people having fun that I helped create, but they don’t know that, you know, I have that feeling. But when I, when I see it, I feel like crying. It’s okay, I created this vibe. And it’s so beautiful you know? So, it gives me great joy. And another thing that gives me joy is the company that because I shouldn’t, the company that I created with my mate, Brownie, we transformed that company from a company called Academy to a company now called service FM. And when I see the success of that company, and I see what it’s doing, doing, and I see the people, when I walk into the office, and people are happy to see me, it gives me joy, because people just want me to be there. And when you know, you want it to be there, you just feel happy. And you don’t feel like you’re there under any sort of, you know, drudgery. You just want to go there and wanting to go to places is so beautiful. So that brings me a lot of joy. Fantastic. I can go on if you want

 

Pete Cann  41:20

Cool, cool without I know we’re going to have another chat. And I would love you know, I’d love to. I’d be honored to be your guest on the podcast. So, if you if you get to know me a little bit,

 

Paul  41:30

yes, we could do that. We could do that. We could do a podcast, or that way, couldn’t we?